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By Joe Marconi
With so many uncertainties these days, there is one strategy that we can all do that will help to smooth out our overall sales and customer visits throughout the year. Make sure the experience is always amazing during the entire customer visit. And perform the car delivery that gives the customer a reason to return.
Here's the key part before any customer leaves your shop: Make sure you discuss their next service appointment and any other future recommendation. Let them know that they will get a reminder by either post card, email or text. BUT, there is one more thing you can do to boost your customer retention, get permission from your customer to call them a week prior to their next appointment. Yes, give them a phone call. Try it, and give it time to work.
Oh....won't work, you're thinking??? Well, here's list of businesses that do it: Dentists, doctors, nail salons, hair dressers, chimney cleaners, boiler service companies and Successful Auto Repair shops.
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By Joe Marconi
We all know the expression, "The Customer is always right." But is that really true?
The other day a customer walked over to my tech and starting to scream at him for failing the NY State annual inspection.
I intervened and told the customer to stop and get away from my employee. I also told him that I would not tolerate anyone yelling and screaming at one of my employees.
Should I have been more "reserved" and try to defuse the situation? Should I have "politely" listened to the customer's issue?
Have you been in this position and what would you do?
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By Elite Worldwide Inc.
By Bob Cooper
We all know that these incredibly challenging times are impacting businesses and people all around the world. To help maximize your shop's sales and profits in the face of these difficulties, here are 3 simple and cost-free tips that you and your service advisors can start implementing today.
1. Pick up the phone and call your customers. However, this is not a sales call and shouldn't involve discussion about the customer's vehicle. Rather, this is a chance for you to check in on your customers and their families, let them know you are thinking about them, and offer to help in any way you can. By giving them a call and speaking from your heart, you are showing your customer that you not only care about their well-being, but that your company truly values people over profit.
2. Set up call forwarding during your commute to and from work. By having incoming calls forwarded to your cell phone rather than to the shop's voicemail during your drive to and from the shop, you are essentially extending your hours and allowing more customers to reach you if they are in need. There may only be a couple of calls that come in during these times, but it can make a world of difference for those calling customers.
3. Adjust your 2020 sales and car count goals so that they are broken down to daily targets, and track these daily goals in a descending manner. Instead of feeling discouraged if your shop is far from reaching a monthly or weekly goal, having daily sales and car count goals will allow you and your advisors to look at each morning as a brand new opportunity to accomplish the goals for the day.
Tracking these daily goals using a descending method helps your team focus on what they still have left to accomplish, and motivates them to reach the targeted numbers. For example, if your daily car count goal is 10 cars, and 7 cars have come in, a descending method of tracking will have your advisors saying, "We only have 3 cars left to meet our goal!" rather than, "We've had 7 cars come in so far." When I first began coaching, my average client saw a 15% increase in sales just by making this simple switch from an ascending to a descending method of tracking goals, so this tip is sure to help!
For additional help increasing your shop’s sales, learn more about Elite’s Online Masters Service Advisor Sales Training, or give us a call at 800-204-3548.
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By Joe Marconi
I have been contacted by many shop owners about the decision to close or not. In most cases across the nation, Auto Repair Professionals are considered essential workers. Which means that we can stay open for business. However, even though we are essential, I personally will not demand my employees to come to work. If business fails because of this virus, it will fail in the short term. We will all eventually find a way to come back and rebuild our businesses.
Things are changing by the hour, and that makes our decisions as leaders even more difficult. I don’t want to get sucked into panic, but I don’t want to turn a blind eye to the fact that we are in uncharted territories and that we are all learning from this crisis together.
The decision to close your business is yours. There is no wrong or right decision here. The safety and well-being of our families are our number one concern. If it makes it any easier, make your next decisions from the heart, not from a business standpoint. Be strong, be a leader, and know that we will get though this.
When the dust begins to settle, we will have learned a lot about business and even more about who we are are as a culture and a society.
I cannot tell you what I am doing tomorrow. I plan on having a meeting with my staff, and a decision will be made to stay open, cut staff, cut hours or perhaps another scenario will surface. I will keep you updated and try to bring a little sanity to everyone during these crazy times.
You are all leaders; you are automotive shop owners. You are the toughest of the toughest. I know you and I will prevail through these troubling times and I look forward to the future when we can all look back and say…”We may it through, and we’re better off for it.”
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By JustTheBest
We're in strange times.
I've published this video in hopes to help shop owners in these difficult times
Matthew
"The Car Count Fixer:
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